Tie lifter and holder.



E. B. EMIVIONS & E. T. JOHNSON TIE LIFTER AND HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 15.19l8.

1,297,453. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

p'NrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

EDGAR B. EMMONS AND EDWIN T. JOHNSON, 0F DAVENPORT, IOWA.

TIE LIFTER AND HOLDER.

Application filed July 15, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDGAR B. EMMoNs and EDWIN T. JOHNSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tie Lifters and Holders, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to improvements in devices for raising railway ties, and holding them in place, in contact with the rail while such rail is being connected therewith with spikes in the usual manner. When a new piece of track is being constructed the ties are first strung along in approximate positions, and the rails placed thereon, a few of the ties supporting the rails, but most of them being at a point below the base of the rail. It is therefore necessary to bring them up against the rail and hold them tightly against the same, while the connection between the tie and rail is being made. This is usually accomplished by means of a crow-bar in the hands of a workman, such bar being supported on one tie and forced beneath the one that is to be elevated and spiked. As it is usual to provide the ties with a coating of creosote or similar material before being placed in position, they frequently slip from the end of the bar, and considerable time is consumed in getting the same into proper position and holding them therein. While the spikes are being driven into the tie, the force of the blows is also communicated to the end of the bar which is held by the workman, with unpleasant results to his hands.

In our device we aim to remove the undesirable features above mentioned, and provide a tool which is simple and eflicient in operation, and which is specially suited for the class of work mentioned.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of our invention in side elevation, in position when in use. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the broken line ww of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail of the joint between the parts 8 and 12. Fig. 4 is a View similar to that in Fig. 1, with the device in operative position.

1 represents the top of a rail of conventional design, 2 the web thereof, and 3 the base or flange, by means of which it is secured in place. Mounted on the rail is a bearing 4:, having a downwardly projected support 5 at one side, and on the opposite side a flange 6. The support 5 is provided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Serial No. 244,930.

with an inwardly turned flange 7 adapted to bear against the web 2. A hand-bar 8 is pivotally mounted on the support 5, by means of a bolt 9, passing outwardly through the support, and provided on its outer end with a nut 10. Pivotally connected with the short end of the bar S, as at a, is a. pair of plates 11, between which is held the upper end of an arm 12, provided at its lower end with a foot 13, for engagement with the lower face of the tie 14:. Upon pressure being brought to bear downwardly upon the long end of the bar 8, the force thereof causes the flange 7 to tightly engage the face of the web 2, and the flange 6 to similarly engage the edge of the rail, where by the bearing 1 is held tightly in place, providing a rigid point of support for the The upper end of the arm 12 is provided with a square face 15 and an inclined face 16, the latter permitting the arm 12 to swing at an obtuse angle with the bar, as shown in Fig. 1, to enable the foot 13 to be inserted beneath the tie. The face 15 prevents the arm 12 from swinging rearwardly beyond a right angle with the bar 8, and as the long end of the bar is lowered, and the work'of raising the tie progresses, as shown in Fig. 4:, the point of the foot 13 finally engages the face of the tie, preventing the same from slipping out of position. After the foot 13 is disengaged from the tie, the bar 8 is moved into a position for use with the next succeeding tie by drawing the plate 4: along the top of the rail. In this movement the arm 12 straightens out in approximate line with the bar, sliding over the top of the ties. It is therefore unnecessary to lift the device in moving it from one point to another.

Any blows that are received by the tie, in driving the spikes therein, are imparted through the arm 12 to the short end of the bar 8, such end being so much shorter than the long end, proportionately, that very little of the force of the blows is felt by the operator at the long end thereof.

The space between the support 5 and flange 6 is such that the tool can be readily moved along the rail when not being employed in raising or holding a tie. For rails of varying heights, the arms 12 may be provided in different lengths to accord therewith.

In laying the first rail, at one side of the track, the tie is preferably held against the rail by a pair of our devices, one on each side of the rail, and better results would be secured by having them in reversed posit-ion, with the feet 13 disposed in opposite directions. The position of the bar can also be reversed, so as to use the same on either side of the rail, or in opposite directions on the same side of the rail.

What We claim and desire to secure, is:

1. A device of the class described, com prising a bearing member, provided with. means of engagement with one edge of a rail; a support depending from said bearing at the opposite side from said engaging means, and provided at its lower end with a flange adapted to engage the web of such rail and a hand-lever pivotally connected with said support, midway the points of engagement of said parts on the rail and web, and provided at its short end with tie-engaging mechanism.

2. A device of the class described, comprising. abearing member, provided at one edge with a rail-engaging flange, and at the oppositeedge with a downwardly projected support, having an inwardly turned member for engagement with the web of such rail; a hand-lever pivotally connected with such support;midway the points of engagement of said parts on the rail and web, and a downwardly extending arm pivotally secured to the short end of said lever, and provided with a tie-engaging foot.

3.- A device of the class described, com- Coples of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, 13 0."

prising a plate adapted to be moved along the face of a rail, and provided at one edge with a flange for engagement with the edge of such rail; a support projected downwardly from the edge of said plate opposite to said flange, and provided with an. inwardly projected member adapted for-contact with the web of said rail; a hand-lever pivoted to said support; an arm pivotally connected with the short end of said handlever, adapted for movement forwardly into approximate alinement therewith, and provided with a tie-supporting foot; and means for preventing the movement of such arm rearwardly beyond an approximate right angle with said hand-lever.

i. A device of the class described, comprising a bearing member, adapted to slide along the top of a rail, and provided with means for engagement with one edge thereof; a support depending from said bearing at the opposite side from said engaging means; a flange projecting inwardly from the lower end of said support into engagement with the web of the rail midway the top and base thereof; a hand-lever pivotally connected with said support midway the points of engagement of said parts with the top and web thereof; and a tie-engaging device pivotally connected with the short end of said lever. v

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. 1

EDGAR B. EMMONS. EDWIN T. JOHNSON.

the commissioner '0! Patents, 

